Ron Paul... serious contender, or internet firecracker?

[PotatoSamurai]

I'm sure there's no lack of RP supporters on this corner of the Net, but I've only recently become enamored by this libertarian who seems like a principled red version of Howard Dean, the Ragin' Internet Liberal who almost won the last election. What really won me over was how his position on abortion was totally misrepresented; that was the only thing that kept me skeptical of him. I still would support a Democrat before him, but maybe not.

Anyways, I guess what I'm asking is what your opinions are on his legitimacy. Does he have the support within his party to get anywhere? How about the country at large? If he got the primary, would he be elected if he had to face Hillary or Obama? What if he had to go Libertarian? (If I had to ask )

 

[The Yankee]

Dean almost won? He came in third in Iowa then shot himself in the foot.

And I don't think he could possibly win more than one state in the primaries, and I'm being optimistic. And if he were somehow nominated, I don't think he would win.

 

[Elrohir]

Ron Paul won't win, bundles of cash or no.

 

[PotatoSamurai]

Dean almost won? He came in third in Iowa then shot himself in the foot.

And I don't think he could possibly win more than one state in the primaries, and I'm being optimistic. And if he were somehow nominated, I don't think he would win.

He 'almost won' in the same way that Kerry 'almost won'; he made an unbelievable, if short-lived, rise to the top. And I didn't mean the election, just the primary.

 

[woody60707]

I think he is.

At 1st I hated Ron Paul, everyone yapping about him, it was sickening.

But slowly I've come around. I even donated 20 bucks to him.

He's not mainstream, he's grassroots.

 

[Neomega]

He shattered all one day fundraising records today.... over $6.4 Million dollars.

And this isn't $2,300 a plate speaking tour money pandering to lobbyists.

This is over 50,000 small donations.

 

[Integral]

Ron Paul needs to break out of his base. Relying on the Internet and/or young to get out the vote has never worked.

What Paul needs is a bit of momentum. All the money he's raised won't do a bit of good unless it's transformed into votes. I'm still waiting for that to happen.

 

[Neomega]

Ron Paul needs to break out of his base. Relying on the Internet and/or young to get out the vote has never worked.

Its not just the young. This is a media illusion. Out of my meetup group, only 3 of us are under 30, the other 22 people that attended last time are over 30.

What Paul needs is a bit of momentum. All the money he's raised won't do a bit of good unless it's transformed into votes. I'm still waiting for that to happen.

It's coming.

 

[Bast]

Ron Paul needs to break out of his base. Relying on the Internet and/or young to get out the vote has never worked.

But he can't. His platform is a narrow one based around the Iraq war and calling anyone he doesn't like a "neocon". The Iraq war was the best thing that happened to Ron Paul's political career. If there were no war right now, do you think he'd be getting this much attention? Nope!

 

[Integral]

Its not just the young. This is a media illusion. Out of my meetup group, only 3 of us are under 30, the other 22 people that attended last time are over 30.

Learn something new every day. I'll rephrase by saying, the stereotype is that the good Doctor gets all his support from the young, and historically that's a bad strategy.

But he can't. His platform is a narrow one based around the Iraq war and calling anyone he doesn't like a "neocon". The Iraq war was the best thing that happened to Ron Paul's political career. If there were no war right now, do you think he'd be getting this much attention? Nope!

He definitely stands out for being vocal against the Iraq war, and he's the only guy on the Republican stage who advocates getting out. Unfortunately, his economic policy of killing off the Fed doesn't sit well with me. At least he's not for the Fairtax...

 

[GenMarshall]

IMO, He's just an internet firecracker.

But dont we have enough Ron Paul threads?

 

[North King]

At this point he's not polling in the top three candidates in any state except New Hampshire, and that was in a single poll. He's not winning any states, or coming in second in any. At this point in the campaign, that means he does not have a shot.

 

[The Yankee]

But dont we have enough Ron Paul threads?

Never!

Though at least this one is on his chances and not (yet) a Paul-bashing thread.

@Integral: No FairTax, but gold standard.

 

[Kraznaya]

At least he's not for the Fairtax...

Weren't you just defending the Fairtax a few days ago...?

 

[The Yankee]

Weren't you just defending the Fairtax a few days ago...?

No, it was pretty much everyone vs. FairTax. Integral might have been spitting out a few numbers, but then, so did I by the end of it. They didn't point towards supporting FairTax.

 

[Integral]

Never!

Though at least this one is on his chances and not (yet) a Paul-bashing thread.

@Integral: No FairTax, but gold standard.

Hrm...which is the greater fallacy...

I need the Fed around to guarentee me a job in the next few years. You might say my mild opposition to Dr. Paul is a form of job security

Or, to quote Jericho, Ron Paul amuses me.

Weren't you just defending the Fairtax a few days ago...?

Hey, I was young and foolish. And the numbers didn't add up, so I abandoned it.

 

[MobBoss]

He 'almost won' in the same way that Kerry 'almost won'; he made an unbelievable, if short-lived, rise to the top. And I didn't mean the election, just the primary.

Uh...no....Kerry actually was a nominee.....Dean....not so much.

 

[Berzerker]

Paul's candidacy dont stand a chance... most Repubs aint fond of freedom. Same thing with most Dems... The two parties loot the treasury and bribe us with our own money. They'll even collect taxes for roads and then threaten to withhold the money from states that dont do what they say on a whole range on issues. The two parties use the Constitution to wipe their butts...

 

[North King]

Paul's candidacy dont stand a chance... most Repubs aint fond of freedom. Same thing with most Dems... The two parties loot the treasury and bribe us with our own money. They'll even collect taxes for roads and then threaten to withhold the money from states that dont do what they say on a whole range on issues. The two parties use the Constitution to wipe their butts...

How many NSA operatives have knocked on your door recently? For the most part, the people in the parties respect individual liberties; Congressmen are people just as are you and I. They probably like power a bit more than we do -- but let's face it, if you don't like it, then you probably wouldn't be running. For the most part, the politicians I've met have been decent people.

 

[Neomega]

How many NSA operatives have knocked on your door recently?

Easy to say when you aren't publicly trying to fight the government, when you are, be guaranteed your phones are being tapped.

For the most part, the people in the parties respect individual liberties; Congressmen are people just as are you and I.

Right, and waterboarding isn't torture.

For the most part, the politicians I've met have been decent people.

A politician will almost always propose taking my money to win his or her campaign, by funding some project to give his or her donors my money.

Like when Hillary and Schumer were generous enough to give the families of 9-11 hundreds of millions of dollars each, so they could maintain their lifestyles of bently's and mansions.

Was it Hillary's money? No, it was hard working American's money that was robbed, so the uber-rich could stay uber-rich. God forbid they might have to work for a living, or drive a Lincoln.